by Guan Zi
Bai Xin: 190-200,
Nei Ye: 1-22, 91-114, 267-284, 285-296,
Lines in the proto-Daoist texts of the Guan Zi which contain concepts later found in Chinese Buddhism, as discussed in the commentary in Thread of Dao :
Bai Xin: 119-126, 133-143, 190-200, 212-214
Xin Shu Shang: 1-11, 12-23, 49-59
Xin Shu Xia: 1-20
Nei Ye: 254-266
On mindfulness:
Bai Xin: 190-200
Xin Shu Shang: 1-11, 20-23, 24-29
Nei Ye: 23-38, 254-266
See also:
Meng Zi : Nei Ye: 174-191
Xun Zi : Xin Shu Shang: 1-11
Common Daoist concepts, found the proto-Daoist texts of the Guan Zi :
Jing / essence , 精 :
BX 168, 179; XSS 90, 93, 94, 115; XSX 2, 36, 37; NY 96, 97, 98, 141, 142, 145, 174, 248, 268, 274, 304
Qi / energy-breath , 氣 :
XSX 12, 14, 36, 37, 83, 85; NY 9, 14, 53, 98, 99, 107, 178, 220, 222, 226, 231, 235, 248, 250, 312, 318, 325, 341
Shen / spirit , 神 :
BX 143; XXS 22, 23, 40, 96, 97, 99; XSX 6, 34, 35; NY 6, 105, 129, 135, 235, 246, 247
Ming / enlightenment , 明 :
BX 23, 179, 211, 212; XSS 40, 95, 96, 127; XSX 75, 90, 92, 94; NY 129, 194, 199, 227
Xing / pure nature , 性 :
BX 205; XSX 108; NY 295, 296
Ming / destined life-force , 命 :
BX 20 4
Wu wei /without action, effortlessness , 無 為 :
XSS 45, 52, 69, 118, 180, 200
Without endeavours , 無 事 :
BX 32, 67
Heaven , 天 :
BX 9, 12, 19, 22, 24, 88, 97, 98, 100, 168, 186, 190, 209; XSS 38, 84, 109, 154, 193; XSX 18, 20, 47, 125; NY 5, 10, 79, 83, 127, 155, 183, 268, 326
Earth , 地 :
BX 19, 88, 97, 99, 100, 191; XSS 38, 84, 155; XSX 19, 47, 126; NY 5, 80, 85, 127, 156, 183, 269
Sage , 聖 人 :
BX 23, 25, 27, 32; XSS 44, 88, 174, 184, 189; XSX 18, 22, 48, 65, 124; NY 8, 88, 191
Junzi / gentleman , 君 子 :
XSS 51, 200, 213; XSX 43; NY 109, 112
Intention , 意 :
XSX 12, 26, 114, 115; NY 185, 231, 233, 251, 326
Resonance (possibly a typo for intent), 音 :
NY 18, 43, 62, 63, 167, 168,
Thought , 思 :
BX 179; XSX 33, 116, 117; NY 100, 101, 137, 142, 243, 244, 245, 254, 259, 264, 309, 313
Dao / The Way , 道 :
BX 8, 50, 52, 128, 178, 180, 186, 190, 195, 203, 206;
XSS 5, 10, 20, 28, 32, 34, 46, 56, 59, 68, 84, 88, 109, 113, 115, 118, 120, 136, 137, 154, 155, 179, 180, 196, 212;
XSX 61, 64, 65;
NY 39, 50, 51, 54, 55, 57, 61, 54, 65, 74, 78, 99, 151, 208, 215, 273, 297, 332, 337, 348, 349, 352
De / Virtue , 德 :
BX 42, 180; XSS 29, 113, 116, 119, 120, 139; XSX 1, 3, 11, 77; NY 16, 20, 21, 38, 123, 126, 201, 215
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan G. Reid taught himself how to read Classical Chinese with the help of textbooks, online tools, and internet forums. Dan also studies and practices sitting meditation, Qigong, internal martial arts (Xingyi, Baguazhang, Taji Chuan), and is a multi-instrumentalist and poet. His first published translation was The Heshang Gong Commentary on Lao Zi’s Dao De Jing , followed by The Thread of Dao: Unraveling Early Daoist Oral Traditions in Guan Zi’s Purifying the Heart-Mind (Bai Xin), Art of the Heart-Mind (Xin Shu), and Internal Cultivation (Nei Ye) . In 2018, Dan began studying Chinese physiotherapy, herbalism, moxibustion, and massage (Tui Na) to become a Registered Massage Therapist using ancient Chinese modalities, allowing him to apply and further his studies in Classical Chinese Medicine.
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The Ho-Shang Kung Commentary on Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching
“In my own use of the DDJ as a Daoist practice scripture it was very important to clearly see how this DDJ commentary is a guide for key Daoist concepts like emptiness, wuwei, stillness, speaking few words, yielding, the quiet dragon, and more.
As a Daoist priest and founder of a Daoist lineage, American Dragon Gate Lineage, I highly recommend this translation by Reid and have actually made it required study for my priests-in-training.”
- Shifu Michael J. Rinaldini, Daoist Abbot and founder of the American Dragon Gate Lineage of Quanzhen Daoism. Author of A Daoist Practice Journal: Come Laugh With Me ; and A Daoist Practice Journal, Book 2: Circle Walking, Qigong & Daoist Cultivation
Central to Taoism, Zen Buddhism, and neo-Confucianism, the Tao Te Ching may be the single most influential Eastern philosophical text of the last 2300 years. Ho-Shang Kung (circa 100 AD) clarifies the language and metaphors of the Tao Te Ching, while offering a Sage's insights into how they may be applied to the cultivation of wisdom, vitality, longevity, harmonious leadership, and Taoist virtues such as naturalness, sincerity, and ease.
With an intimate understanding of the culture and history within Lao Tzu's verses, Ho-Shang Kung's commentary has played an indispensable role in deepening the understanding of the Tao Te Ching for mystics, philosophers, and scholars alike.
Guided by Ho-Shang Kung's commentary and linguistic analysis, Dan G. Reid provides a translation which is both eloquent, and exceptionally faithful to the Chinese text. With an audience of scholars and Taoist practitioners in mind, a Classical Chinese reading guide is provided, and the Chinese text appears alongside the commentary. Dan G. Reid's translation of the Tao Te Ching also appears separately for focused study.
* * *
[1] Confucius was known to play the guqin, an ancient stringed instrument played on the lap, with a sound resembling the sitar. Ancient Chinese music incorporated a variety of percussive and melodic instruments, including a pitch-pipe mouth-organ (sheng), flutes, harmonized bells, and stringed instruments.
[2] The Sacred Books of the East: The texts of Confucianism . Translated by James Legge. Vol. 4. Clarendon Press, 1885. p. 95
[3] The “nine divisions” indicates that the “patterns of the flood” referred to the Luo Shu diagram, a series of dot patterns used in Feng Shui, divination, and Chinese numerology. Another early mention of the Luo Shu appears in Zhuang Zi (Outer Chapters), “Revolutions of Heaven.”
[4] Translated by James Legge as “The Great Plan.”
[5] All translations of the Dao De Jing found in The Thread of Dao are borrowed from:
Reid, Dan G., translator. The Ho-Shang Kung Commentary on Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching . Montreal: Center Ring Publications, 2015.
[6] Rickett, Alynn, translator. Guanzi: Political, Economic, and Philosophical Essays from Early China, Volume II . New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1998
[7] Other scholars from Qi State include Sun Zi (approx. 544-496 BC), author of the Art of War , and Confucian scholars Meng Zi (Mencius, 372-289 BC) and Xun Zi (313-238 BC).
[8] Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian . c. 100 BC .
[9] S ome modern scholars believe that Jixia Academy was actually started by King Xuan. Though this may be the case, it is likely that Qi was already frequented by scholars seeking out Guan Zi’s secrets to success, and that this trend gave rise to the full development of Jixia Academy. Thus, Jixia Academy may very well have been an institution before it had a proper name.
[10] From “Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository.” Edited by D.G. Reid to add Chengzhou in place of present day Luoyang, and new title.
[11] It is possible that this tutor also instructed the father of King Qingxian, King Huai of Chu, who adhered to Zhou rites to the point of fault, costing him dearly when dealing with King Zhaoxiang of Qin who did not adhere to these rites.
[12] Though King Huiwen executed Shang Yang, likely as retribution for Shang not commuting punishment against the former earlier in life, King Huiwen maintained Shang Yang’s policies.
[13] Not to be confused with Zhao State in the
north.
[14] It was this in this tutor’s tomb that the earliest fragments of the Dao De Jing were found, at Guodian.
[15] Various scholars in The Rise and Fall of the State of Chu , part four. Directed by Zhang Xiaomin. China. 2016: CCTV-9 Documentary. Contributing scholars include: Prof. Xu Wenwu, Yangtze University; Liu Yutang, Vice President of Hubei Academy of Social Sciences; Prof. Chen Yantang, China Academy of Social Sciences; Zhang Hongjie, Phd., Fudan University; Gu Jiuxing, Central China Normal University
[16] Ibid.
[17] Between Duke Huan of Qi and King Zhuang of Chu, Duke Wen of Jin (ruled 636-628) was the recognized Hegemon
[18] Ibid.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Please see the “translator’s introduction” in The Ho-Shang Kung Commentary on Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, translated by Dan G. Reid , for evidence as to why theories that the Dao De Jing was compiled after the Qin Dynasty cannot be considered conclusive.
[21] Han Fei Tzu . Basic Writings , trans. Burton Watson (New York: Columbus University Press, 1964), 110. Quote edited by Dan G. Reid.
[22] P. Van Der Loon. "On the Transmission of Kuan-tzŭ." T'oung Pao , Second Series, 41, no. 4/5 (1952): 357-93. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4527337.
[23] 564 - 484 = 80, so presumably one of these numbers was mistaken, or some of the bundles were divided into more than one book.
[24] P. Van Der Loon. "On the Transmission of Kuan-tzŭ." T'oung Pao , Second Series, 41, no. 4/5 (1952): 357-93. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4527337.
[25] Zhengyuan Fu. China’s Legalists . (New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1996), 14
[26] Credit should be given Harold Roth for bringing the Nei Ye , its presentation of early Daoist cultivation practices, and potential pre-dating of the Dao De Jing, to the attention of most Western Daoist enthusiasts. Please see:
Roth, Harold, translator. Original Tao: Inward Training (Nei-yeh) and the Foundations of Taoist Mysticism . New York: Columbia University Press, 1999.
[27] “Undivided,” more commonly meant “ 無貳爾 心 without doubt (undivided) in your heart,” but its literal meaning is emphasized within the context of these lines of the Bai Xin .
[28] DDJ47 does not appear in the earliest known chapters of the Dao De Jing , found at Guodian. A translation of DDJ47 can be read in the comments on the above lines in Thread of Dao .
[29] Xin Shu Shang , lines 1-11
[30] Scholars generally date the Nei Jing Su Wen to as early as 200 BC, though it’s traditional attribution to the Yellow Emperor would date it circa 2600 BC.
[31] See lines 1-2 of the Xin Shu Shang , and my above comment on the Sage as a representation of spiritual intelligence.
[32] From Huang Di Nei Jing, Su Wen , chapter eight. Translated by Dan G. Reid
[33] These are conservative estimates, dating the Dao De Jing to circa 250 BC (first commentary, by Heshang Gong, circa 200 AD), and the Huang Di Nei Jing to circa 200 BC (first full annotated version of the Su Wen , by Wang Bing, completed 762 AD). We could otherwise say the first commentary on the Huang Di Nei Jing was written around 200 AD, with the Huang Di Ba Shi Yi Nan Jing (Classic of the Yellow Emperor’s 81 Quandaries) , though this short text is more an expansion on select points of confusion, rather than a complete commentary. Regardless, it did not appear for another 400 years after the Su Wen was completed.
[34] See Xun Zi , chapter 17, “Discourse on Heaven.”
[35] Please see my commentary on the opening lines of the Xin Shu Shang for more of this excerpt.
[36] See, for example, the sayings attributed to Lu Dongbin (Ancestor Lu) translated in Thomas Cleary’s Vitality, Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook (Shambhala Publications Inc. Boston: 1991). In the Qingwei Sanpin Jing , we find, “Spirit.. in humans.. is wisdom and intelligence, innate knowledge and capacity; it is the government of vitality and energy, awareness and understanding.”
[37] Broschat, Michael Robert. Guiguzi: A Textual Study and Translation . University of Washington Ph.D. Thesis, 1985
[38] Credit to Broschat (ibid) for pointing this out as well.
[39] Note the similarity in title to the Ying Fu Jing , attributed to The Yellow Emperor.
[40] Translated by Dan G. Reid
[41] See, especially, Nei Ye , lines 91-128.
[42] While “five dragons” is metaphor for the “five energies: will, thought, spirit, and virtue,” mentioned in this chapter, it may also suggest the five clawed dragon which was symbolic of the emperor. As with Xin Shu Shang , the “five dragon” technique is based in the central authority of the heart-mind.
[43] The eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth, genitals, and anus
[44] Apparently referring to the 12 organs and corresponding 12 major meridians used in acupuncture. These are: lungs, heart, pericardium, large intestine, small intestine, triple burner, spleen, kidney, liver, stomach, bladder, and gall-bladder.
[45] The fifth energy is presumably that of the heart-mind, as mentioned in the following “spirit tortoise” technique.
[46] “Energy,” here and in the following sentence, may also refer to the energy of the heart-mind.
[47] See above, “Spirit is their unifying leader.”
[48] The description of “oneness” in this chapter, as it relates to power and transcending doubt, offers insight into the oral traditions behind chapter 39 of the Dao De Jing . DDJ39 reads:
In the beginning was the attainment of Oneness
Heaven attained Oneness
And became clear
Earth attained Oneness
And became serene
Gods attained Oneness
And became spiritually powerful (ling)
Valleys attained Oneness
And became full
The myriad things attained Oneness
And were born
Lords and kings attained Oneness
And all under Heaven became loyal
Then occurred the following
Heaven, lacking the cause of its clarity
Began to tremble and split open
Earth, lacking the cause of its serenity
Became fearful and began to gush forth
The gods, lacking the cause of their spiritual power
Became fearful and stopped moving
The valley, lacking the cause of its fullness
Became fearful and began to drain
The myriad things, lacking the cause of their life
Became fearful and began to die out
The lords and kings, lacking the cause of their being praised and elevated
Became fearful and began to fall
Therefore, value the lowest and treat it as the root source
Elevate the low and treat it as the foundation
This is why lords and kings call themselves orphans, widows, and “no hub-of-the-wheel”
Is this not treating the lowest as the root source?
Is it not?
Thus, they are sent several palanquins without a palanquin
Have no desires for fine jade
Nor for cheap necklaces and stones
(Translated by Dan G. Reid)
[49] The tortoise may have been chosen to represent the steady perseverance of this technique.
[50] Technique #4 is entitled “Dividing Power in Accordance with the Crouching Bear” and deals with dividing the power of others. The vast majority of the Guigu Zi addresses diplomacy and managing inter-personal power relationships.
[51] Xun Xi (d.238 BC) wrote: “The eyes cannot focus on two things clearly. The ears cannot listen to two things acutely. The soaring snake has no feet, yet flies, while the wu rodent has five feet yet fails.”
[52] Ce (策 ) commonly referred to divining stalks in ancient texts and so also meant “forecast.”
[53] Liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys
[54] Stomach, small intestine, large intestine, gallbladder, urinary bladder, and “triple heater”
[55] See the commentary section on the Nei Ye , lines 1-22,
below, for more of this excerpt. From Ling Shu Jing, chapter eight.
[56] Coseru, Christian, "Mind in Indian Buddhist Philosophy", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2017 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL =
[57] 14th generation Wu Dang Zhang Sanfeng lineage holder; 25th generation Long Men (Dragon Gate) Daoist Priest; President and founder of the Daoist Association, USA. See Wu Dang Chen’s youtube.com channel for weekly sermons.
[58] Of “the five organs” (liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys), the spleen most represents the stomach.
[59] This is not to say that focus should be on the spleen, as transformation of the will and intention are naturally occurring benefits of clear-minded focus on the lower dantien (just below the navel), or simply on emptiness.
[60] “ 音 sound/tone,” appearing in the ‘received text’, is usually replaced in translations of lines 167-168 with “ 意 notion, intention, awareness.” See Nei Ye line 224 which speaks of “wordless tone.” That line also appears in XSX line 88 as “unspoken words.” “ 音 Tone,” therefore, may have had a significance regarding unspoken “sentiments,” as in a “resonance” or feeling in the heart-mind that induces thought.
